


Or Burn Just to Keep Me Compliant?

by walkerofthestars



Series: With Morality Like a Polynomial [4]
Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Artemis crock is tigress, BTHB, Bad Things Happen Bingo, Dark, Dark fic, Flashbacks, Jade Nguyen being a good older sister, Mugging, dark!AU, except with more murder, impromptu family vacations, life's short co-parent your niece with har mother, this won't make a lick of sense without the first three of the series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-12 00:20:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29876220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/walkerofthestars/pseuds/walkerofthestars
Summary: For a moment he was worried that if he looked up he’d be back on that building in France. Where he’d last seen Artemis.In orange and black and owning every inch of her matured body. She was moving through the air like a model struts the stage, and if it weren’t for the fact that she’d broken into a government facility to steal classified information Oliver would have been proud of her. He’d chased her down but had realised he had no hope of catching her and yet still managed. It wasn’t till a week later he figured out she’d let him catch up.Artemis finds herself in Happy Harbour after hearing about the jackass who kicked Red Arrow off a roof. The argument that ensues ends thanks to surprising circumstances.
Relationships: Artemis Crock & Dick Grayson, Artemis Crock & Jade Nguyen, Dick Grayson & Wally West
Series: With Morality Like a Polynomial [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2150019
Comments: 2
Kudos: 29





	Or Burn Just to Keep Me Compliant?

**Author's Note:**

> Oh my god I feel like the universe didn't want me to update because everything seemed to get in the way.  
> never have I fought tooth and nail to force myself to right a chapter than I did with this one. Jesus Christ my brain was crying and screaming as I dragged myself towards my laptop because it _did not want to cooperate_. but whatever. we're here now.  
> and then my town got hit with a short and sweet small cyclone. no biggie. power went out and so did the service and then _after_ the service came back my laptop refused to connect properly because it is stupid. I'm hotspotting my phone to upload this and even that wasn't working before.   
> and you'd think that this taking so long to update would mean the next chapter is nearly finished. to such an assumption I merely scoff.  
> anyway, title is from the same song as the past three fics. this one, however, is a lot less dark and sad as the last three. Artemis kinda got it the easiest out of all of them in this universe, ngl. which is kinda on purpose, it sorta switches the script from the show.  
> big thanks to the dearest [Spicy3Lemon](https://lemonp3sant.tumblr.com/) who is basically carrying me inspiration and motivation wise. It might be impossible for me to have a conversation with them without getting hit with serotonin and creativity. they've drawn fanart of this series which blows my mind, but idk if they'll post it so... maybe you should follow them to find out? hm?

Oliver Queen sat atop the roof of Queen Consolidated. His eyes were trained on Orion, clearly visible in the South Eastern sky, bow drawn and pointed across the murky black of nothingness that stretched between each speck of light.

Once upon a time, when he’d been stuck on a deserted island, a mercenary had pointed to Orion as it became visible and said that it meant they’d reached early to mid-November. Oliver had watched it become brighter overnight until it faded with the dawn, made keenly aware he’d been stuck in that crucible of a hell-land for almost a year.

A year: by then he’d felt he were a changed man, who’d never be the same. By then he’d thought he’d never escape, and if he did he would never be the old Oliver Queen again.

He was right, of course, he wouldn’t. but when he had thought of the _old Oliver Queen_ , he had made it synonymous with the _happy Oliver Queen_. Several years later, once he’d become an established hero, once he’d found a protégé of his own, once he’d saved people and helped people, found love and family, he’d learned that the new Oliver Queen could be happy, too.

The new Oliver Queen stared up at Orion, visible for its 76th day in a row, and wondered if Artemis was looking at it too.

He forced his eyes away, making himself flick his attention from one star to the next in the constellation, then to a star outside of it, then to the next, and the next, down, down, down till he’d managed to pull his view to the horizon. Star City had so much light pollution they were lucky to see any constellations, Orion was so big and bright that it was one of few. Sometimes he missed the island if only for the fact that it wasn’t a city.

He sighed, his vision now solely on the streets and skyline. The starry night sky was so peaceful compared to the neon lights and loud streets of Star.

He pulled a grapple arrow from his quiver, lined it up with the next skyscraper in his range, and sped off into the night.

The police scanner hummed through the comm in his ear, turned down so it stayed in the back of his mind but didn’t distract him. He didn’t have anyone watching his back tonight. No Speedy. No Black Canary. No Artemis.

No Red Arrow.

He hit a roof a little too hard, set off running as he continued on his patrol route.

Roy had had a run in with Deathstroke the night before.

Oliver knew Slade Wilson. He would have liked to say he knew him _well_ , but he didn’t think anyone did. No one could get close to him, no one could touch him (ex-wives notwithstanding). Really the man seemed to be a little bit unreal. He was too good at what he did, too good at everything. Oliver had come to the conclusion a long while ago that his constant success wasn’t him being perfect, but him being physically unable to stop. He refused to stop taking contracts, stop fighting to get the job done, because if he did _surely_ he’d collapse under the weight of _everything_ he had to be carrying around.

Oliver did not like him. _Despised_ him really, which was fair enough. But even he would say that the guy had trauma.

He supposed he survived it by killing thirteen year old heroes and grooming young faceless assassins.

Oliver hit the roof of the next building, rolled, sprung up, and upon beginning to run again he heard a scream coming from nearby. He shifting his weight to turn and sprung from the other edge of the roof, down into the alleyway. He didn’t bother to sneak up or hide in the shadows, he descended upon the two people forcing someone else against the wall with all the tact of a loaded gun. A purse hit the floor as one attacker turned and ran, coins and change showered across the cement, the remaining assailant dodged the hit Oliver attempted and then made a blind swing with a knife.

Child’s play. Oliver disarmed them in a few quick moves and had them on the ground in even less than that. The run-away tripped on the bolas-arrow that Oliver fired at their ankles. The two both gave up rather quickly, sighing and lying on the cement, resigning themselves to being left there for the police to find.

Oliver turned to the woman pressed against the wall, tucking his bow away and showing her his empty hands, “hey, you okay?”

She looked between her two would-be thieves, swallowed, and then looked herself up and down, “yeah… I’m okay.”

“injuries?”

She shook her head, a high blonde ponytail bouncing back and forth with the movement.

“I’ll alert the police to pick these two up, do you want an escort home?”

She took a step forward and crouched to start picking up her purse and its emptied contents, “I can make it home,” she said, giving Oliver a smile, “thank you, I thought… yeah. Thanks.”

“my pleasure,” Oliver said, beginning to walk backwards towards a nearby fire escape, “have a good night, take care!”

He rushed his way back to the roof and threw himself back into his patrol route, head still flashing with image of the woman’s pale eyes and shifting gold hair.

When had he last seen Artemis? Long enough ago that he couldn’t tell if the stranger had actually looked like Artemis or if his sadness was beginning to make everything ammunition for angst.

He hit the next roof and slowed to a stop, standing in the middle with the open air the only boundary on him and yet there was so much weight on his shoulders. he dropped his chin against his chest, cold air rushing out in puffs of white. It was mid-winter, and despite the fact he was wearing his thermal cold-weather gear he could still feel the icy in the air seeping into his skin and leeching into his bones.

For a moment he was worried that if he looked up he’d be back on that building in France. Where he’d last seen Artemis.

In orange and black and owning every inch of her matured body. She was moving through the air like a model struts the stage, and if it weren’t for the fact that she’d broken into a government facility to steal classified information Oliver would have been proud of her. He’d chased her down but had realised he had no hope of catching her and yet still managed. It wasn’t till a week later he figured out she’d let him catch up.

And she had stood before him, looking almost sad for a moment before she replaced it with enough swagger and confidence to rival Catwoman.

_I’m past trying to be a hero,_ she’d told him, _I can’t believe in the cause._

“you can still try,” Oliver whispered to the wind, a fraction of the volume he had that night. “you can _choose_.”

_I know_.

Oliver raised his gaze, forced it up, up, up to the murky darkness of the night sky. He’d gotten further to the middle of the city, to the heart. The twinkling sparks of light were absent, washed out, polluted away from the heavens.

He couldn’t find Orion.

Artemis spun dramatically as she walked towards the door, with a swish to her hips and a smile.

A dramatic gasp from behind her as she posed, and she turned to once more face the man leaning against the counter, “oh yes, I love it.”

“right?” she grinned, draping her hands over the jewellery adorning her neck, “I think it’s the one.”

“I think so to,” the worker said, Artemis remembered he’d said his name was Ryan, he looked her up and down once more as Artemis posed, “I think it’s made for you. You can’t leave without it.”

“I completely agree, ring me up,” Artemis said with a wink.

Ryan rushed behind the counter, ringing up the specific necklace Artemis had picked out to show off. Artemis leaned against the glass-topped counter, the bun her hair was pulled into bounced slightly, and she preened a bit as she watched her reflection. The necklace she’d picked was a conversation piece, huge and dramatic but still refined. Even if she wasn’t there to over-act, Artemis likely would have bought it anyway because she truly adored it.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you round here, hun,” Ryan said as he got everything together on the computer, “are you new in town?”

“stopping through, visiting my sister,” Artemis said, “but I do like the place, might have to purchase a cute little suburban home somewhere.” She gave him a sweet smile, “the beach is so close, the fashion is to die for and the people,” she said, leaning forward, “amazing.”

“gotta agree,” Ryan said, “this is my hometown. Great place.”

“well then I’m sold,” Artemis snickered, “how much do I owe you?”

“well,” Ryan said, “retail sets it at fifteen hundred, but…” he gave her a wink and a nudge-nudge notion, “with some technicalities I can get it to twelve fifty.”

Artemis gasped with a hand to her chest, “you’re my hero.”

“oh stop,” he grinned as he hit a few keys, “no, no, keep it up.”

They giggled for a few moments and Artemis checked the street outside’s traffic with a glance in the mirror she played off as checking herself out once more.

“are you wearing it home or am I putting it in a box?”

“box,” Artemis answered, reaching up to undo the clasp of the necklace, “wouldn’t want to lose it on the way home. Besides,” she smiled as she passed it off for Ryan to package, “doesn’t go with my shoes.”

She payed and left with a wave over her shoulder, slipping her sunglasses back on as she entered the street. The afternoon sun was creeping towards the horizon, leaving long stretching shadows alongside bright orange fiery sunlight.

She payed attention to the architecture, made mental note of security cameras, traffic lights, store fronts, turn-offs along the street. She turned down one particular alleyway she recognised from the city maps she’d looked at. This was the alley with good access to the old tunnel system under the city, which she could use to quickly vacate the premises once her mission was complete.

She glanced down the street towards the skyscraper all the way at the end of the long line of blocks. Her target was blatantly clear and would be perfectly easy to get into- provided she didn’t make a single mistake. And even if the first half went off without a hitch it would be difficult to get out. There was no way she could grab the information she needed without tipping off a minimum of three people, all of which would be on her ass immediately.

This was a mission that even her father would find impressive.

She shoved that thought away with a scowl as she entered the alley she’d recognised. She rolled her neck as she scanned the floor, the walls, the everything, looking for the access point she _knew_ was there. She couldn’t find anything out of the ordinary. There was a manhole cover, but upon investigation it was revealed to be perfectly new and connected to what it should be.

She huffed, turning in a circle as she scanned the environment. She rubbed at her eyes, hands on her hips as she looked at the ground between her toes.

A car pulled up at the entrance to the alleyway, Artemis eyes snapped open.

“up against the wall.”

She blinked, looking at the man who was approaching her with a raised pistol. His hood was pulled over his face and every line in his body was tense with nervous energy. He barely looked a day over seventeen.

“what?” she asked, a bit of a disbelieving laugh in her voice.

“I said up against the wall!” he yelled, pushing the pistol further in her direction, “move it! I’ll fucking shoot you!”

Artemis snickered and shook her head, “okay, kid, this is real cute- “

“now!” he ordered again, just as someone else hopped out of the car. They were older and significantly less anxious- or if they were they were better at hiding it than this _child_ attempting to threaten her. What was this, some kind of gang initiation? An older brother showing the ropes?

Artemis sighed and held her hands up in fake surrender, the jewellery bag hanging from two fingers.

“give it,” the kid said, gesturing with his pistol at the bag.

Artemis gave him a raised eyebrow, “what’s the magic word?” she drawled.

“fucking _give it here_ or I’ll shoot you, I swear- “

“kid I don’t think you could put seven pounds of pressure behind a right hook let alone a trigger,” Artemis scoffed.

The second man was leaning against his car, shaking his head in pity as he waited for his kid to get the job done.

“hand it over or I’ll fucking shoot you- “

“okay,” Artemis said with rolled eyes, “whatever, here.” she held the bag out, hanging freely from her two fingers. The kid glanced at it apprehensively, then snatched it from her hands and returned to holding the pistol resolutely in her direction.

“anything else boys?”

“empty your pockets.”

“really?” she pouted “come _on_ , that should be enough are we really gonna do this?”

“empty ‘em now.”

The guy from the car strolled over to stand behind the kid, hand reaching into his jacket for his own weapon.

“no, I’m not doing this,” Artemis said, “not tonight. Really not in the mood to play along.”

“I’m holding a gun- “

“I can see that, but you’re really not all that convincing sweety,” Artemis smiled condescendingly.

“listen here you dyke hooker-lookin’ bitch,” the older guy snapped, and Artemis sobered to a cold glare, “empty your pockets before we fill you with bullets.”

Artemis raised an eyebrow, “is that a threat?”

“is that a threat?” the guy echoed and snorted, “yeah it’s a threat, what are you dumb and ugly?”

“just wanted specification cause you two are real shit at threats. And robbery,” Artemis scowled, then tilted her head, “shall I show you how it’s done?”

“excuse me?”

Artemis didn’t wait for them to comprehend, she just _moved_.

The gun went flying as she whacked it from the kid’s hand, the child himself stumbling back after she socked him one straight in the nose. She hit away the older guy’s arm as he attempted to trail a gun on her, then kneed him in the gut, twisted round his arm into a hold so she could break it and caught the gun before it hit the ground.

She checked over the weapon as the child attempted to stand up and the guy fought to keep his balance.

“now, boys,” she said, then turned and levelled the pistol on the man, “this is how it’s done. Empty your pockets.”

“fuck you!”

She didn’t look away from him, merely shot her arm out towards the kid and fired, she heard him scream, and she heard him hit the ground with a groan.

She turned the gun back on the man, “you next?”

The guy scowled but patted himself down and threw a wallet at her feet.

“thank you kindly,” she said, then pulled the trigger and watched the man fall to the floor with a bullet hole in his skull.

She unloaded the gun and threw it away without a glance. After sorting through the wallet, she decided it was all useless to her. She picked up the bag with her necklace and strutted for the boy.

She tuned out the sound of him speaking and merely dropped the wallet on his chest, then called the authorities.

She took a deep breath as she raised the phone to her ear, getting into character. The receiver picked up and she let her body language fill in as well to sell it a bit better.

“oh my god, oh my god, I- I- there’s been a shooting, send the police!”

“Ma’am I need you to take a breath, okay? Is anyone injured.”

“yes, there’s a boy here, he’s been shot!” she faked a sob, “I think someone’s dead, oh my god, the man he- he just came out of nowhere and now he’s gone!”

“ma’am I’m sending police and paramedics your way, where are you?”

“I- uh, I’m- it’s an alley- it’s- it’s on Darlington street? Yes, Darlington.”

“okay, ma’am, sit tight, stay on the line with- “

Artemis hung up, dropped the burner on the concrete and stomped on it. she looked down at the boy, who was staring at her with fear and shock.

“word of advice? Go to school,” she said, “get a job, get a life. Stay away from whoever this guy represents.” She jerked a thumb over her shoulder in the direction of the dead guy.

“o- okay.”

“you got money to pay the medical bills?”

“uh… no, not really.”

Artemis nodded, pulled out her purse and flicked through. She grabbed a wad of hundred dollar bills and tucked them in the wallet she’d taken from the dead dude, then shoved that inside the kid’s jacket, “should cover it. enjoy the hospital.”

She walked away, feeling a cold breeze on the back of her neck. The sun was dipping close enough to the horizon that the sky was turning grey-blue and the world was awash with the oncoming of dusk.

she watched the moon as she walked home, watched it get brighter as the night onset. It had been the only witness to the scuffle in the alley. She wondered what else it had been the only witness to.

She was quite sure she did not want to know.

Artemis was hit with the strong smell of soy sauce as she entered the apartment and entered the kitchen to find Jade halfway through preparing stir fry.

“evening,” she greeted, sitting the bag with the necklace inside on the bench, “how was your day?”

Jade snorted, “about as interesting as that attempt at a conversation opener.”

Artemis sighed with a roll of her eyes as she headed for her room, “I’m gonna have a shower.”

She dropped her coat on her bed, grabbed her pyjamas, and headed for the bathroom.

Afterwards, on the way back to the kitchen she poked her head in the third bedroom in the apartment. Smiling as she leaned against the door frame.

Lian was soundlessly asleep, cuddled up in her blankets. Her hair was falling across her face and her mouth was just open enough to let a line of drool slowly trickle onto her pillow.

She headed out just as her sister was plating up the stir fry dinner.

“she went to bed early,” Artemis said as she picked up her plate and headed for the table.

“she had a big day,” Jade said, “lots of schoolwork, she made a collage you know?”

Artemis spied the mess of glued together pieces of magazine currently pinned to the fridge door via three emoji-magnets, “it seems we have a young artist in the building.”

“better than a young assassin,” Jade said with a small smile in the direction of her daughter’s room.

Artemis sighed through her nose as she and her sister began to eat their meal.

“how’d your scoping out go?”

Artemis shrugged one shoulder, “okay, but I got interrupted by some wanna-be muggers before I could locate the entrance to the old subway system.”

“you’ll have to go back tomorrow and find it.”

“well…” Artemis said, sucking air through her teeth, “you see…”

“what did you do?” Jade asked with a dead panned look and eyebrow raise.

Artemis sighed but filled her in on how the attempted mugging had ended.

“I can’t believe you,” Jade leaned back in her chair as she rubbed at her forehead between her eyes.

“Look I just-“

“You were cocky and prideful,” Jade said, “there’s no way around it. this is a big mission, if you blow it-“

“no one will know,” Artemis said, “one’s dead, the other won’t talk, it’s _fine_. The mission will happen, I’ll get in, I’ll get out, and then we can head home so Lian can _actually_ go to school instead of being home schooled.”

Jade grumbled something under her breath in Vietnamese that Artemis didn’t quite catch.

Artemis rolled her eyes, “you’re overreacting.”

“I’m not,” Jade said.

“I didn’t realise a symptom of motherhood was suddenly becoming overprotective of _literally_ everyone.”

Jade scowled but went back to eating.

The background noise of the tv droned to the forefront of Artemis’ mind as everything else remained silent. The journalist speaking on the news was saying that the efforts to rebuild the effected structures of Central City effected by the attack two days prior were still ongoing but supported fully by the League and their donors. Bruce Wayne was posing in a photo behind the journalist, shaking hands with the Central City mayor.

“you think it could be that old friend of yours?” Jade asked.

Artemis blinked and looked at her in confusion, “what?”

Jade indicated towards the tv, “the yellow streak that was clearly a speedster, you reckon that was that old friend of yours?”

“kid flash?” Artemis asked, frowning, “no.”

“could be.”

“he’s been dead for-“

“we both know that death becomes rather temporary in this line of work.”

“Wally wouldn’t,” Artemis said, sighing, “he wouldn’t.”

Once upon a time she’d have said that about a lot of people. But this wasn’t ‘once upon a time’ and she was well aware that the people she used to know were strangers, maybe always had been to a degree.

But not Wally. Never Wally. He wouldn’t.

And that was provided he was alive. Which he wasn’t. and that wasn’t going to change any time soon. Even with the normalities, or lack thereof, of _their line of work_ there was no way and no chance. There was no body that could have been revived.

Artemis leaned her elbows against the table as she rubbed at a spot on her fork.

They lapsed into silence for a while longer, comfortably existing in each other’s presence. They’d been robbed of moments like these in their childhoods but they were making up for it now.

They were making up for a lot of things they’d missed as kids. Artemis would never have believed it way back when, _once upon a time_ , but she couldn’t be happier about it now.

As Artemis washed the dishes and Jade dried them she found her gaze wavering in the direction of Lian’s bedroom door.

And thinking of Lian made her think of…

Dangerous things. Difficult things. Territory she had to tread carefully when it came to her opinions.

She picked one that was less worrisome when it came to her feelings.

“have you heard anything of Rose?”

Jade frowned, her hand holding the drying towel going still before she went back to it, “not particularly, why?”

“no reason,” Artemis shrugged, “just wondering. Haven’t seen her in a while actually.”

Jade made a face that resembled the same emotions of a shrug, “well, Wilson’s dead and the small amount of chatter I’ve heard says Grayson’s picked up everything he left behind rather quickly, so I’m assuming that includes the daughter.”

Artemis froze, staring at her hands in the warm water and for a moment seeing the ocean below the bioship, the creek that flowed through Santa Prisca, the underwater cave that Kaldur had met her at when they snuck in for the mission that went _so wrong-_

She took a deep breath.

“what?”

Jade watched her closely.

“Jade,” Artemis said, pulling her hands from the water to sit them against the corner of counter, “what did you just say?”

Jade put the plate she was drying down, letting it sit on the counter.

“Wilson is dead,” Jade said.

“when?”

“about three months ago?” Jade said, “I’ve just heard it through the grapevine.”

“but Deathstroke had a hit in Russia just a couple weeks ago,” Artemis said, looking for the holes in the story.

“yes,” Jade said with a raised brow, “and who do you think that is?”

Artemis glared at the wall.

“finish the dishes,” Artemis said, storming out of the kitchen and hunting down her phone. Jade sighed but didn’t protest.

It seemed Artemis needed to have a chat with an old friend about his life choices.

Artemis hit the ground _hard_.

She kept on running, slipping slightly, and holding onto her side which was _aching_ , but she refused to slow down. She’d socked her dad _hard_ across the jaw and dealt a pretty decent stab wound to the leg but she didn’t know how determined to keep her he was. Maybe he’d given up on trying to control her. Maybe he’d realised it was pointless and maybe he’d realised he couldn’t benefit from her working for him.

But she wouldn’t chance it. He’d made sure to grab her when the League busted that Light meeting she was dragged to and he’d bothered to come pick her up when she’d managed to escape that cave in on their last mission and send a distress signal. So maybe he still wanted to control her. Maybe. She couldn’t see the point but-

As she tripped and hit the ground she realised overthinking things wasn’t helping much.

She shoved the thoughts down and continued to run down the street.

She needed somewhere to hide, to lay low. But all the safe houses were her dad’s. and there were no heroes in this city.

There was a… a homeless shelter? Or maybe it was a backpackers motel? She didn’t care, she just knew that she could probably flash her sad eyes and pout a bit and cry and maybe she’d be able to at least catch her breath.

She turned down the streets, side still aching from a particularly hard kick her father had dealt her and fingers beginning to feel numb from the cold. It had been raining not long ago and the clouds were still hanging from the sky in a threatening manner as if waiting for a reason to pelt down on everyone once more. Her shoes were soaked already thanks to the puddles littered throughout the place and the left side of her legs were damp as well from her slip a few blocks ago.

She turned a corner and found the place she was thinking of, and it did appear to be a backpacker shelter which made this difficult. But nevertheless she trudged to the front door.

It was locked and a sign hanging from a nail set in the middle read ‘at capacity’ in scrawled red marker. No one seemed to be inside when she peeked through the glass pane of the door.

She sighed, dropping her head against the wood, and held in a sob. She pulled her jacket closer and tucked her hands into her sleeves.

She could hear rain in the distance, coming closer, and looked up at the small overhang on the door. It wouldn’t be enough to protect her and if she sat in the rain she’d be likely to end up sick. She didn’t know where she could go, she didn’t have money, she didn’t-

She took a deep breath, ran her fingers through her hair, and walked into the alley alongside the backpackers shared with the corner store on the other side of the road.

Someone was leaning against the rail of a fire escape, smoking. Another person was standing below them and speaking to them but Artemis wasn’t paying enough attention to decipher their heavily accented voice. Another person, or possibly a living pile of fabric, was huddled at the foot of a door on the right side of the alley, curled up in a blanket and thick jacket. Two more people were smoking at the dead end of the alley, murmuring quietly, and breathing through their cigarettes every few seconds as if they could only get air to their lungs if it passed through the flames first.

Artemis shuffled a few steps, thinking to herself it would be a very good idea indeed to turn around and try and find refuge in a different alleyway. Or maybe not an alleyway at all. The rain had started, soft right now but she could tell it would get worse.

She took a step back and was about to turn but-

“hey missy!” the person on the fire escape called down, “you look lost, need some help?”

And every ounce of her training told her to run.

But a hand was on her bicep and someone had come up behind her, how had she let that happen, how could she be so distracted-

She jumped and spun, backing away from the stranger but that also meant she was backing away further into the alley.

“it’s okay little girl, we can help!” one of the two smokers sung out, flicking his cigarette away and stalking closer while his friend tailed him.

“yeah,” the brute who’d tried to grab her sneered, “just tell us what’s wrong, hm?”

Artemis backed up further, watching as the smokers grew closer and the heavily accented man grinned and pulled a knife and the brute followed her with a glint in his eye.

Artemis looked frantically around the alley, trying to think of an escape route. She was already handicapped as it was when it came to running and parkouring thanks to her aching side but with them all circling her like this…

“c’mon little girl we just want to help you out,” someone hissed, voice feminine and suggestive in a way Artemis hated severely. There was a flash of a knife in the corner of her eye and she flinched.

God why was she acting like this? She could take these people out without a blink why couldn’t she just- she couldn’t-

A hand grabbed hold of her forearm and pulled her off balance and she held in a yelp as it pulled her wounded side. Someone tugged on her jacket and-

A spray of blood, a shriek and surprised yell and then a flurry of motion. Artemis tripped and fell as one of the people let go of her and ran. She pulled her jacket closed and close and tried to make sense of the movements happening around her. A flash of dark green wove through the remaining people who hadn’t ran fast enough. Artemis spied a shuriken embedded in the throat of the man with the accent, his knife had clattered to the ground with him.

When she looked back up the remaining people were on the ground and bleeding red into the puddles of rain water and standing above them was a woman in green with wild dark hair and a mask that was-

Artemis gaped up at her sister as Jade turned and watched her.

“are you okay?” Jade asked.

Artemis blinked, looking her up and down, “what?” she croaked.

Jade sighed softly and wiped the blood off her Sai blades before sheathing them. She walked closer to Artemis and crouched before her, sliding her mask off to reveal her face.

“are you injured?”

Artemis shook her head, winced, and then nodded with a sheepish look, “took a hit to my side-“

“from this lot or dad?”

Artemis swallowed, feeling a surge of anger at the reminder that Jade had _known_. Must have known. About _everything_ probably.

“dad,” Artemis spat, “right before I stabbed him in the leg and got the fuck out of there.” She scowled, “without your help. _Thanks_.”

Jade’s shoulders dropped and she pursed her lips.

“I have a spare room in the safe house I’m in at the moment,” Jade began, “bed’s made. Hot water. Plenty of food. You coming?”

Artemis stared at her for a while, trying to make sense of the proposition, trying to figure it out.

Was Jade just going to hand her back to their dad? Surely not, they were on just as bad terms as he and Artemis. But then why?

“what’s the catch?”

Jade looked annoyed for a moment before she schooled her expression, “I get that you don’t trust me. I understand. But there’s no catch.”

Artemis did not believe that for one second.

“you’ve got to be doing it for a reason.”

“you’re my sister.”

“that wasn’t a good enough reason three years ago,” Artemis sneered, “what changed?”

“I found you,” Jade said, “that’s what changed. I’ve been trying since I found out about that bullshit the Light pulled on you and your friends.”

Artemis stared, searching Jade’s face for the lie. The lie that _had_ to be there.

Because if it wasn’t then…

Artemis looked Jade up and down.

“you didn’t know?” Artemis asked, watching for the reaction, the tells, “about what the Light was planning? You didn’t know?”

Jade shook her head, “If I had I’d have told you.”

And Artemis couldn’t hear even the slightest bit of falsehood in her voice.

“now please,” Jade said, standing and holding a hand out for Artemis, “come with me.”

Artemis swallowed, staring at the outstretched hand, the invitation, and all it represented.

“I…” she started glancing to the bodies, the streetlights reflected in the water, the sky, and its few twinkling stars.

“hurry up before we both get pneumonia,” Jade huffed.

Artemis took a deep breath and accepted her hand, pulling herself up and leaning heavily to the side as her bruises made themselves known once more.

Jade clipped her mask to her belt and slung an arm around Artemis’ shoulders, guiding her out to the street.

When they got to the safe house Jade handed her a set of clothes, a face wash and a towel and pointed her to the bathroom, with a promise that dinner would be ready in about half an hour. Artemis showered quickly, chucked the clothes on without too much thought, and walked out to inquire about the location of a first aid kit.

Artemis set herself up on a couch that was adjacent to the dining table, there were two smaller couches with it and a small tv on a stand and a coffee table. Over the tv Artemis could keep an eye on Jade in the kitchen thanks to the open plan of the apartment.

She pulled her shirt up so she could look at her side and found a large patch of deep red and yellowish skin spread over her ribs. She felt at the area lightly, wincing but not overly worried, there didn’t seem to be any breakages which was lucky, maybe some severe bruising, or hairline fractures at the most. If her dad had been in uniform, wearing his steel caps, when he’d kicked her she’d definitely have some breakages.

Other than that she had a few cuts and scrapes to take care of, as well as the last remnants of her injuries from the last mission her dad had forced her on. She’d gotten through it rather well and without anything too devastating, which she considered lucky, but she did have a long cut down her left thigh from when she’d been stuck in a cave in that needed some attention.

“how much do you know about your team mates?” Jade asked out of the blue. Artemis startled for a while and was then swept in confusion before she pieced it together.

“not… a lot,” Artemis said, “I saw them at a meeting the Light dragged us all to.”

She remembered it still. The way Kaldur had hunched in on himself and had seemed scared to touch anyone or anything. M’Gann had seemed like she was slipping in and out of complete awareness, distracted by something at all times. Conner and Dick hadn’t been able to stick around and chat seeing as they’d been forced to stay at Lex and Deathstroke’s side’s, respectively. But Conner had looked so tired, exhausted, and wearing thin. And Dick was… in that uniform. The black and red so similar but configured differently in a way that perfectly stated who he now belonged to. He hadn’t even said a word to her.

Jade nodded, “that’s when I first picked up the trail. Before that, Dad had managed to keep you under the radar well enough.”

Artemis snorted and drawled, “hey I tried to make it hard for him.”

“and I’m sure you did an impressive job at annoying him,” Jade snickered.

Artemis rolled her eyes but went back to cleaning a cut.

Jade watched her, going between cooking, and keeping an eye. She seemed to be filing away every move she made, keeping mental record of the tiniest pieces of body language.

Eventually she plated up the food and sat it before Artemis on the coffee table, sitting on one of the other couches with her own meal.

“how are you?” she asked, giving Artemis a weighted look.

“how do you mean?”

“you’ve been stuck with dad for about three years now,” Jade elaborated, “so how are you?”

Artemis pursed her lips and reached for the plate Jade had set before her, playing with the food by pushing it around with her fork.

“I don’t know.”

Jade gave her a look, Artemis blanched.

“I mean it,” she said, “I… don’t know. I haven’t had time to… process anything. Not really. I…” she frowned, staring at the meal on her plate as if it would give her answers.

“what do you want to do?” Jade asked, “you don’t have to go back to dad, or to Arrow, or anyone, you don’t even have to stay with me. What do you want?”

Artemis shook her head, “I don’t know. I…” she set the plate in her lap and blinked away tears, “I… don’t want to be an assassin. I don’t want to kill people for a living. But I… I don’t want to be a hero. I don’t think I _can_.”

“they’re not the only two options you have,” Jade said, “you can quit, you can start again.”

“I…” Artemis spun the fork between her fingers, “I just want to grieve.”

Jade looked away, took a deep breath.

After a while of silence she spoke up again.

“mum never got a chance to take you home did she?” Jade asked, “you know… meet the extended family, like she always said she would?”

Artemis shook her head, “we didn’t have the money.”

Jade nodded, “well, I do.”

Artemis glanced at her, questions in her eyes.

“I’ve been over, they know me, and they want to know you. If you want time away from it all, to process, to grieve, then I can take you.”

Artemis frowned and found that she couldn’t keep looking at her sister’s face. There were too many truths there, not enough of the deception she’d always used to wear.

“I’d like that,” Artemis said, eyes landing on a photo on the wall of Artemis and Jade with their mother when they were just kids, “I’d like that a lot.”

To say Artemis was pissed would be an understatement.

And not pissed in the fun way.

It hadn’t taken too long to track Dick down thanks to the fact that he’d had a mission recently wherein he ran into a hero. Wherein he _kicked a hero off a fucking roof_. Red Arrow of all heroes. Roy Harper of all people.

(which, granted, she was a little mad at Roy for picking a fight with _Deathstroke_ of all people, someone else in the suit or not, but that was secondary)

She’d broken a few things when she’d found out about that.

Usually, Dick would then lie low a couple days, skip town, and move to different safe house, make sure everything was under control before heading back to wherever his current base of operations was. That was standard and expected procedure for most people in their line of work, things didn’t vary, much.

It seemed Dick had strayed from expected procedure for this mission, cause he was still at his Happy harbour safe house. Which was lucky for Artemis, it was the only one she knew of.

She’d expected him not to be there, so she hadn’t bothered to _cool her jets_ so to speak, before heading over. She figured she’d find an empty apartment with maybe a scrounge of evidence that could at least point her towards what country he might be headed to.

So she was angry; at Dick, at her dad, at Roy, at _fucking everything in general_. And she had just broken into his apartment and was helping herself to his already brewed coffee while she waited for him to venture out into the kitchen.

He did, eventually, wearing sweatpants and a tank top with his hair still damp from a shower. He took a slow step into the room and his eyes quickly landed on her.

She raised an eyebrow and did a mock salute with the mug she was drinking from, allowing a smirk sharper than a sword to grace her face as she greeted him with, “hey Dickstroke.”

“Artemis,” Dick scowled, “what can I do for you?”

Artemis took a long sip from the coffee she’d stolen from him, then placed the mug on the bench, “wanted to have a chat.”

Dick gave her an unimpressed look and joined her in the kitchen, arms crossed and looking down at her, waiting for the explanation.

And he was very obviously looking _down_ , a full head taller than her, maybe a bit more, that serum Wilson gave him must have _really_ kicked his growth spurt up the butt. She stared at the scar cutting through his eyebrow for a moment, traced it with her gaze. She wasn’t sure where he’d got it from but it looked so purposeful, like someone had delicately run a knife through his eyebrow, nicked the lid and then cut down into his cheek bone.

At least the eye was still there. If he’d become so alike Wilson to have lost his eye… Artemis probably wouldn’t be able to look at him. It was already hard enough as it was.

Dick sighed through his nose lightly, “well, there is something you should know now you’re here-“

“oh, yeah, trust me I _know_ ,” Artemis hissed, “I heard it from Jade. Wilson’s dead and someone else picked up the mantle.”

“that’s not-“

“don’t defend yourself,” Artemis laughed lightly, “that’s exactly what’s happened.”

Dick closed his mouth, ran his tongue along his teeth as he stared past Artemis, waiting for her to shut up most likely.

“god, Dick, you can’t be serious,” Artemis scowled, “I mean, really, being Renegade was one thing but being _Him_. Actually wearing the colours, using the name…” she shook her head, “I know we’re all a little messed up, I know we haven’t exactly had it _easy_ , but to just fucking…” she struggled for a word, “I don’t know, even, to just fucking _take it_? to go along with it? god I thought you were better than this.”

“excuse me?” Dick looked at her like she was a child who’d said a swear word for the first time, “ _better_? Better than what, doing the job I’ve been doing already, but this time being in control?”

“better than just succumbing!” Artemis snapped, “better than just deciding, welp, life’s been a bitch guess I’ll just be a mercenary! Guess I’ll throw away _everything_ I was taught as a kid! Guess I’ll just give up on morality!”

“oh fuck off!” Dick hissed, “because you’re so much better? Last I checked Tigress still runs rooftops-“

“I’m not a fucking mercenary and I’m not a real fucking assassin, I’m trying to take down the Light-“

“that’s an excuse and you _know it_ ,” Dick said, in a voice that was so dangerously cold and low that for a moment Artemis had to stare at his eyes and dark hair to persuade herself to believe it wasn’t Slade Wilson in front of her.

“you’re fucking murderer is _gone_ , Dick,” Artemis grit her teeth, “why the fuck are you wearing his colours?”

“what do you want me to do?” Dick said, “do a full 180, run away from everything, go be a civilian-“

“go be a fucking hero!” Artemis gestured wildly with her hands, “go do what-“

“are you fucking _insane_?” Dick shouted, “why the _fuck_ would I do that? Go begging to the justice league who abandoned us all? Who left us all-“

“you can’t blame them-“

“why the fuck not?!” Dick hissed, leaning down into her face, “why the fuck can’t I blame all of them for leaving us, for not even _trying_?”

“it’s not their fault, it’s the Light’s,” Artemis said, matching his tone, glaring straight into those cold blue eyes, “you know that. You’re just deciding to throw in the towel and stop _trying_ -“

“no Artemis,” Dick scowled down at her, “ _you’re_ not _understanding_. I am Deathstroke, that’s what I was always supposed to become ever since Slade took me as an apprentice. It’s been ten fucking years, I’m not Robin, I’m not a hero.” Dick took the mug of coffee off of her, emptied it in the sink and left it there, “you’re living in the past.” He leaned against the counter, not looking at her, a dismissal.

Artemis scowled, “no, I guess you’re not a hero. You’re a fucking coward. You gave up.”

Dick whirled and all of a sudden Artemis was on the ground.

“we weren’t all so lucky to have our sister’s come along and swoop us up!” Dick yelled down at her, “have you seen Conner? M’Gann? Kaldur? We didn’t get pulled out after three years and shipped off for a _family vacation_.” He grabbed her by the front of her shirt and lifted her up, glare burning into her, “don’t call me a fucking coward just because you don’t understand what the fuck I’ve been through. Don’t come in here and tell me to leave everything I’ve got behind just because you don’t _like it_. don’t tell me how to live my life, when you’re no fucking _better_.”

Artemis stared, eyes wide, and for a moment thought he might shoot her.

The silence turned sharp as Dick waited for her to say something and Artemis waited for her heart beat to slow down. He could probably hear it, that serum gave enhanced hearing.

She swallowed, tried to think of a witty one-liner or _something_ that she could say to cover up how obviously shaken she was.

And then someone cleared their throat.

Dick and Artemis both looked over at the hallway that opened into the kitchen.

And standing there, awkwardly, fiddling with the edges of a hoodie, was Wally West.

Artemis blinked, staring. Dick lowered her to the ground gently and took a step away.

Artemis looked at him, up and down, and said, “please tell me you didn’t sell your soul to revive Wally.”

Dick responded with a glare.

“hi,” Wally greeted with a wave, “uh…”

Artemis watched him, looked at Dick again for a clue as to what was going on.

Dick sighed through his nose, “I tried to tell you.”

Artemis frowned, looking between the two.

Was this actually… Wally? Was this… real? Wait…

Dick seemed to realise her thought process because he explained, “Wally didn’t die. He was stuck in the speed force.”

Wall gave her a sad smile, “I… got out. It was a bit messy but… I’m here?”

Artemis felt her lip wobble and held a hand over her mouth to hide it.

“you’re alive?” Artemis asked no one in particular, not really expecting Wally to answer.

“yeah,” he said, then repeated breathlessly, “yeah.”

Artemis walked around the breakfast bar, watching him closely. She almost expected him to flicker like a hologram, or disappear, or turn to smoke, or _something_. She approached him like a wild animal.

Wally blinked a little and Artemis realised the both of them were holding back tears.

“hey, you,” Artemis greeted, dropping her hand from her mouth.

“hey, you,” Wally answered, holding his arms out for a hug that Artemis gladly jumped into.

He was warm and smelled like grocery store brand shampoo. She shivered in his arms, feeling a sort of nervous energy, and he winced.

“sorry.”

“what?”

“static?”

Artemis snorted, “no, I just missed you.” she snuggled her face into his shoulder, “so much for a sixteen year old growth spurt, huh?”

Wally blushed and grimaced, “running theory is the speed force stunted my growth a little.”

“a little?” Artemis snorted, poking him on the nose. He was only about an inch taller than her, maybe a bit more if she took off her shoes.

“shut up,” he said shyly, gripping her tighter and hiding his head in the crook of her neck.

“you two want me to step out and leave you to get reacquainted?”

Artemis jumped back and gave Dick a pointed look. He was leaning against the counter with a disinterested look.

“screw off,” Artemis grumbled, “I’m still mad at you.”

Wally frowned, then looked at Dick, “reacquainted?”

“oh my god,” Dick rolled his eyes, “look, if you two wanna pick up where you left off, just don’t do it on my couch-“

Artemis slapped him across the shoulder and gave him a look. Wally blinked as he realised what he was talking about.

“oh,” he said, staring at Artemis, “we were together.”

Artemis’s shoulders drooped but she grinned, “I know it was only official for like, two weeks, but surely it was a bit more memorable than that.”

Wally stuttered, “I didn’t- I just meant-“

“chill, Wall,” Dick rolled his eyes, “she’s teasing.”

Artemis snickered and Wally rubbed at the back of his neck, “I don’t understand women,” he grumbled.

Artemis cleared her throat, took a deep breath, and tried not to cry at how familiar this all felt.

“okay,” she said, “I… will need time to process this. But I…” she looked at Wally, “just an fyi I got over you a while ago.”

“good,” Wally snickered, “I would be worried if you held on to a teenage boyfriend for a decade.” Artemis slapped him in the shoulder much the same way she had Dick. “ow!” Wally hissed, “this is abuse!”

“we’re not a couple, doesn’t count.”

“that’s still… abuse,” Dick said with a frown, “just not domestic-“

“did I ask?” Artemis snickered.

Dick rolled his eyes for the umpteenth time and turned to the fridge, “Wally what do you want for breakfast?”

“uh… what do you have?” he asked.

Artemis looked over Dick’s shoulder into the fridge, standing on tip toes to do so, “ooh, bacon, I could go for a breakfast quiche right about now.”

“you’re making it then,” Dick huffed.

Artemis held a hand to her chest, “excuse me? What kind of host-“

“the one who’s entertaining a guest that broke in through his window and stole his coffee,” Dick said as he fished the carton of eggs and a few things out of the fridge, turning to put them on the counter.

“personally, I think pancakes,” Wally said, sitting at the breakfast bar.

“right, because you wanna start the day with sugar,” Dick said, pulling out a cutting board.

“you say that like there’s a problem,” Artemis said, scooting in and pushing him aside, “I’m on it for food, sit down.” Dick gave her a raised eyebrow and she shooed him out, “go on.”

“this is still my safe house-“

“I know, consider it payment for the coffee, okay, move.”

Dick shook his head lightly but walked around and stood by the breakfast bar, leaning against it.

“so, Wally, you’re staying with this asshole,” Artemis asked as she got to it.

“Conner sent me his way,” Wally said, with a quick smile in Dick’s direction that had Artemis raising an eyebrow.

“do tell.”

Wally hesitated and then said, “he found me, cause Lex sent him after the person who attacked central.”

Artemis’ hands stilled for a moment, then she kept on as if unaffected, “that was you.”

Wally winced, “yeah.”

Artemis frowned, holding back questions, instead settling on, “why?”

Wally winced again and glanced at Dick, who gave him a look that Artemis couldn’t decipher but she thought it seemed like Wally was asking for help and Dick was telling him to take the lead and he’d follow.

“I…” Wally rubbed at the back of his head, “I’ve been having trouble with… panic attacks and… hallucinations I guess?”

Artemis looked up at him, looking him over with a keen eye, she tried for humour, “you’re going crazy?”

Wally sucked a breath through his teeth and Dick shot her a look.

“psychosis,” Dick said, “we think it’s a reaction to the speed force.” He then looked at Wally for a cue, who only shot him a thankful smile and took a breath to continue where he left off.

“I wasn’t… in my right mind,” Wally said, “I kinda don’t even remember it. just a lot of noise and colour and feelings.” He rubbed at his arms, “anyway Conner found me. He called Dick-“

“he has your number?” Artemis asked.

“I… gave him a number to a phone Slade gave me a few years back,” Dick said, pursing his lips, “I’d honestly forgot I had it till he rang and by the time I found it, it went to message bank. Conner just asked me to stick around for 24 hours because someone needed my help.”

“and then he found me panicking behind a diner,” Wally said with a grimace.

Artemis nodded, then shot Dick a knowing smirk, “and so you picked up a stray?” she rose an eyebrow, “how very Batman of you.”

Wally blinked, “what?”

“Batman’s taken on other proteges since me,” Dick explained quickly, and Artemis thought for a moment she imagined the flash of emotion she caught. She didn’t know what it was but it was strong enough to make it through for _just_ the fraction of a second.

Wally snorted, “of course. Why am I not surprised,” he said drily.

“are you staying with him?” Artemis asked Wally, leaning closer over the counter, “If you wanna leave, you can crash with me, Dick’s an ass-“

“I’m right here.”

“do you think I care?”

Wally snorted, “it’s fine Arty.” He looked over at Dick with a smile, “I’m good to stay with Dick.”

Artemis gave him a raised eyebrow and disbelieving look. She felt slightly better when she found the same surprised expression mirrored on Dick’s face.

“for the record, the other two options I gave you are still open any time-“

“trying to get rid of me?” Wally fake pouted, “already? I’m hurt.”

Artemis snorted and focused on the food once more, “well, hey, can’t wait to see how Rose reacts to him.”

“Rose?” Wally asked.

Dick cursed under his breath, “I did not consider that.”

“she’s a great kid, I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

“wow, wow, wow, who’s Rose?” Wally asked, giving Dick a confused look, “a kid? Holy shit, Dick did you knock someone up-“

“no!” Dick hissed, eyes wide, “Jesus fuck, Wall come on.”

“sorry but-“

“she’s Slade’s kid,” Dick said, running a hand through his hair, “his youngest, actually. She’s only twelve. Thirteen next month.”

“aww,” Wally grinned, “I don’t wanna think of the implications of looking after Wilson’s kid, right now, because it’s adorable that you’re a dad.”

“I’m not-“

“sssshhhh,” Artemis snickered, “she always saw you that way, admit it.”

Dick clenched his jaw and looked away, and Artemis was left wrong footed because he looked almost uncomfortable for a moment and she couldn’t figure out why. Before she had a chance he took a deep breath and stood from the counter.

“I’m gonna finish getting everything set so we can leave.”

Wally nodded, “where are we going?”

“safe house for a couple days and then home. You can meet Rose and Wintergreen and hopefully it won’t go too badly,” he started to walk away but turned and said to Artemis, “don’t break anything and clean up when you’re done.”

Artemis nodded and said a short goodbye before tuning back into what Wally was saying.

“just an fyi, offer still stands,” she said with a snort, “in case you ever get tired of him.”

Holoi was beautiful and colourful and everything a city usually was but was made all the better by everything else.

There was no Sportsmaster hanging over her shoulder, keeping an eye and controlling her. No heroes she was trying to impress. No mother who was entirely too worried about everything. Just her and Jade.

Her sister was making calls, chatting with _the extended family_ as she called them. They’d packed up and shipped off to Vietnam pretty much as soon as Artemis agreed, and Jade hadn’t had a chance to organise things just yet. They figured why not stop by the capital in the meantime, do some sightseeing and tourist-y stuff.

The thing was, however, that just like any city, the streets of Holoi ended up rather dark and malicious after a certain hour.

Artemis couldn’t find it in herself to care. She’d found herself out walking late in the afternoon and she still wasn’t inclined to head home. It was approaching one in the morning, but she wasn’t cold yet and the general environment still managed to astound her at every corner she took, so on the streets she stayed.

And when someone brushed past her in a rush, striding for a small store that had just closed but the personnel were still inside cleaning up? She didn’t look twice. She didn’t pay the flash of metal any mind when she caught it in the corner of her eye. She didn’t care, she was lost in her thoughts and her emotions and that strange feeling she got every time she looked up at the sky and realised how beautiful it was.

She noticed, however, when that stranger kicked in the glass door and rushed in. Artemis was fluent in Vietnamese, but he was speaking so quickly that for a moment his words went over her head, but the sound of the gun firing did not.

Every muscle tensed and wound tight like a spring. The hair on the back of her neck stood and she heard her heart in her ears as she turned to see the man pointing the gun at someone in the store. The lights were off, and she was at an angle, she couldn’t see much, but she could see enough.

A person in danger, someone likely already injured, a weapon- a mugging.

The hero in her screamed to move and everything else that she couldn’t put a name to wailed that she should put her head down and walk away.

It was the sound of a child crying out that kicked her into gear and had her flying into the store.

The man whirled on her as she entered, but not fast enough. She moved quick and purposeful, dodging, and smacking the gun from his hand and throwing punches and kicks that he couldn’t keep up with.

The voice of a hero in her head was roaring in victory and the voice of everything else went silent until the man was down.

She took a breath, looking at the civilians, one was nursing a bullet wound in the leg while another was holding a child close. Two people peeked their heads up over the counter.

Artemis took a slow step towards the injured person, with every intent of helping them but no idea how, when the man she’d knocked down swept her legs from her.

One moment of distraction. She wasn’t _paying attention_ , and now he was lurching forwards, going for her throat-

She didn’t even realise she’d moved and grabbed the gun until the metal of it was warm against her hands and the bang was echoing in her skull and the guy was dropping, limp on the ground.

She let the gun go immediately after, let it clatter to the ground. Her hands felt warm and she had to check to make sure it wasn’t from blood because-

The guy was still, chest not moving, and when she checked the pulse was absent and-

Holy shit.

She heard one of the store owners shuffling around and someone else muttered a thank you and Artemis could only stare at the body.

She’d killed people before. She had. She knew this was just one more but-

But all the others had been with her dad threatening her, holding something over her. All the others hadn’t been her choice-

And this really wasn’t either, was it? she’d just… _acted_. If she hadn’t, he’d have strangled her. It was self-defence. Standing her ground. Any civilian would be charged with manslaughter at most but largely people would understand.

But she wasn’t a civilian.

And if it was already reflex to aim and breathe and pull the trigger then what did that say about her?

She took a shaky breath, blood rushing in her ears.

A hand touched her shoulder, soft and tentative, but Artemis still jumped and turned to stare at the woman watching her with kind and grateful eyes.

“thank you,” she said in Vietnamese.

Artemis nodded, wordlessly, and stared at the body.

The woman pursed her lips, “it is a shame. But you have helped us, I am thankful for that.” She poked Artemis in the side, “you are very thin! Like a stick! Would you like something to eat? As a thank you?”

Artemis blinked, spluttered, and then managed to say, “no, no,” in English, then corrected to Vietnamese, “I… No, thank you. It’s okay. I should get home- “

“let us give you something,” one of the people behind the counter said, hands reaching for his till, “some money?”

“no,” Artemis said, stepping back towards the door, almost slipping on a broken piece of glass, “no, it’s okay, I… I’m sorry, uh…”

She turned and fled; the streets felt a little too cold.

“and you’re… shaken, by this?” Jade asked, tossing her an extra blanket as Artemis continued to cuddle up into the couch.

“I… yes?” Artemis said, “I’m…”

Jade gave her an understanding look, seemingly uninterested in pushing any further than Artemis was willing to go. She seemed to kind of get the gist but for the most part Artemis didn’t think she could relate. Jade had become accustomed to killing, was comfortable in her identity and where it lay in her own moral code.

Jade went back to flicking through the options on Netflix. After Artemis told her what had happened, she had turned it on and started hunting for a movie, all too aware that Artemis wouldn’t be going to sleep.

Artemis had taken a shower, scrubbed at her skin and turned the water _hot_ , but there had been no blood or grime to wash off. Her hands were clean, even though the floor had started to be stained red. A near painless death, quick and with nearly no mess on her person.

Professional, almost.

Definitely unpersonal. The only links the eyewitness testaments of the shop keepers, none of which Artemis expected to rat her out. Another death on her mind and no one was going to hold her accountable. Except herself. But did she want to?

“do you want to be a hero?” Jade asked, as she selected a movie, finger on the button to press play.

Artemis stared at the thread of the blanket she’d wrapped herself in.

“I don’t think I can be.”

“of course you can,” Jade sighed, “you were always the better of the two of us.”

“then I don’t think I want to be,” Artemis said, “I’m just… so tired. It was good, being a hero, saving people, but… there were so many secrets involved and it was so temporary and I- I don’t want to… get hurt again.” She swallowed and hunched further into the cushions, burying the side of her face into the couch.

“that’s okay,” Jade said, running a hand through her hair and pulling her up so Artemis could lean against her side. She snagged some of the blanket and pulled it over her legs, “you’ve been through a lot for someone who’s not even twenty.”

Artemis snorted, “there are people worse off.”

M’Gann and Kaldur and Conner and Dick’s faces floated in her mind, the way they’d looked at that Light meeting they’d been dragged to.

“pain isn’t a competition.”

Artemis hummed an acknowledgment, but Jade could hear how little she considered the statement.

“not everything is a competition, in fact most things aren’t,” Jade reiterated, “you don’t have to challenge everyone to survive. Not anymore. Dad’s not here and you’re safe.”

Artemis closed her eyes, screwed them shut.

“I want the Light dead,” she hissed, “I want them _dead_. That’s all I know.”

“that’s understandable. And doable,” Jade said, holding her close and turning the movie on, letting it load, “but it’s not a one-person goal.”

Artemis frowned, settling in against her sister and waiting for the movie to start.

Artemis sighed as she straightened, back aching a little after leaning down for so long. She checked over the things loaded into the boot of her car once more. It was perfectly packed like a game of Tetris and had taken her about half an hour.

She heard a scuff of shoes, noticed a shadow, and huffed, stepping back, and shut the boot.

“we need to talk.”

Standing, just where he’d been obscured a moment ago by the door, was Roy Harper. Decked in his signature red jacket, jeans, and generally unhappy expression.

“fuck off,” she said pleasantly, without sparing him another look.

“it’s important,” he said, following her as she walked around to the driver’s door.

“don’t care,” she drawled, waving at the woman who owned the breakfast and bed she’d stayed at, then shot Roy a smile, “run home Speedy.”

Roy sighed, leaning against the door once Artemis closed it. she shoved her sunnies on and wound the window down, looking at Roy over the top of them.

“I could pay you,” Roy said, but from the tone in his voice even he knew that wasn’t going to work.

Artemis pretended to consider it, then snorted, “nah. I’m not interested in getting caught up in whatever bull the League’s doing at the moment.”

Roy shook his head and pushed back from the car, and Artemis shot him a final smile before winding the window up and putting the car in gear.

She pulled out of the parking lot, glancing in her rear-view mirror, and spotted Roy standing in the same spot, his phone against his ear. She couldn’t see what he was saying, too far away to read his lips.

She drove away minutely worried about what the hell kind of mess he’d gotten into that made him want to go to _her_ of all people for help.

Roy grit his teeth as he watched Artemis pull away. The other end of the line picked up.

“okay Ollie,” he said, “we’re gonna have to make her talk to us.”


End file.
